Collins is in its second year of varsity competition but has a group that has played together for three years. The Tigers looked like it as they dismantled Spring (8-13, 2-2).

Collins led 38-23 when Josh Canez drained a 3-pointer at the first-half buzzer.

But Spring came out in the second half with a 13-3 run, cutting Collins' lead to 41-36 with 2:28 left before Klein Collins regrouped.

The Tigers weren't playing the smart basketball they played in the first half. With one-shot possessions, the Tigers gave Spring an opportunity to come back.

Despite foul trouble, the Lions got their inside game going in the second half. Lendric Washington and Ronnie Palmer scored 21 of their combined 30 points in the last two quarters.

Collins responded with the play of Haves Jackson and Justin Olubayi. The two guards combined for 15 of the Tigers' 20 rebounds in the second half.

"We doubled down and tried to take the ball (from the big men)," said Jackson, who led all scorers with 22 points. "It worked. I'm feeling good about us going to the playoffs. If we keep our composure and play as a team, we can go far."

Spring was within 57-48 with 2:36 left. The Lions had to resort to intentionally fouling, and the Tigers made their free throws.

Collins ended the game with a 12-2 run and went 8-for-10 from the free-throw line during that stretch.

"They just outplayed us," Bailes said. "But I'm proud of (Spring). They could have come out in the third quarter and folded, but they came out and got after it."

In other boys games:

·Klein Forest beat Westfield 45-43 to hand the Mustangs their first District 15-5A loss. The two teams traded leads in the fourth, and Klein Forest built a five-point lead. Klein Forest made a layup with two seconds left to take the lead. The Eagles received a technical foul for too much celebration, but Westfield couldn't convert the free throw to tie the game and missed its final field goal attempt.

·MacArthur trailed most of the way against Nimitz, but a late rush kept the Generals unbeaten in District 21-5A with a 65-63 home victory.

Jordan Brooks led No. 11 MacArthur (22-2, 5-0) with 22 points, including a 7-of-7 night from the line. MacArthur used a 11-of-15 effort from the line in the fourth quarter to win though Nimitz got 29 points from Derek Roberts.

·Area-ranked Dickinson dominated the first half and coasted to a 69-60 District 23-4A victory at Friendswood behind balanced scoring.

The No. 5 Gators (16-5, 1-0) won the league opener behind 16 points each from Justin Wilson, J.T. Mark and Quinten Turner.

·After a modest first-half pace, Katy and Cinco Ranch engaged in a deflated second-half tempo, with Katy winning the third quarter. But the host Cougars rallied for a 40-39 District 19-5A win in the final minutes.